Eliot Kamenitz/The Times-PicayuneNew Orleans Saints running backs Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush were held out of team drills Wednesday afternoon in Metairie.

Tailbacks Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas were both held out of team drills in practice Wednesday. Thomas (knee) will not play in Saturday's preseason game at Oakland, and Bush (calf) is questionable.

Thomas, who sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during last week's preseason game at Houston, said earlier this week that the injury was minor, and he expected to be back on the practice field within a day or two. But the pain has apparently lingered.

Payton said his goal is to get Thomas some snaps in the final preseason game against Miami next Thursday night to get him up to speed. Thomas' snaps were limited in the first two preseason games while the team spent more time evaluating backup tailbacks Lynell Hamilton, Mike Bell, Herb Donaldson and P.J. Hill.

Bush has been limited all week because of the calf strain he suffered during practice last Thursday in Houston. Payton said Bush is "making progress," but said the injury is "somewhat like a hamstring. You just have to be careful."

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In other injury news, rookie cornerback Malcolm Jenkins wore extra padding around his right wrist after getting dinged in Tuesday's practice. But Payton said it was "nothing significant."

Safety Darren Sharper remained out of Wednesday's practice with an Achilles injury. Payton labeled him as questionable for Saturday's game. Defensive end Charles Grant (hamstring) and tight end Billy Miller (knee) practiced Wednesday, but they are also listed as questionable.